Library Manager
Manage your library—your way. Keep a running list or organize archived books into little stacks. i.e. Beach Reads, Cozy Covers, True Crime, etc.
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife
A General Fiction Novel by Anna Johnston
Subgenres:
- Uplifting,
- Found Family,
- Contemporary
This book is for you if you're into...
- Mistaken identity capers in nursing homes
- Unlikely friendships between lonely elders and overworked caregivers
- Redemption arcs for people who feel invisible
From Little Stack
Your heart will grow two sizes reading this story about 82-year-old Frederick. Though exceptionally kind, he is struggling to make ends meet—so when he’s mistaken for a nursing home resident who’s missing, Frederick takes the man’s place at the home. There his kindness sends a ripple through the community, and he forms a special bond with caregiver Denise, who is facing her own challenges, from a failing marriage to her daughter’s ill health.
The themes here of aging, friendship, and community will resonate, particularly if you’re a fan of shows like Netflix’s A Man on the Inside.
Frederick Fife was born with an extra helping of kindness in his heart. If he borrowed your car, he'd return it washed with a full tank of gas. The problem is, at age eighty-two, there's nobody left in Fred's life to borrow from, and he's broke and on the brink of eviction. But Fred's luck changes when he's mistaken for Bernard Greer, a missing resident at the local nursing home, and takes his place. Now Fred has warm meals in his belly and a roof over his head—as long as his look-alike Bernard never turns up.
Denise Simms is stuck breathing the same disappointing air again and again. A middle-aged mom and caregiver at Bernard's facility, her crumbling marriage and daughter's health concerns are suffocating her joy for life. Wounded by her two-faced husband, she vows never to let a man deceive her again.
As Fred walks in Bernard's shoes, he leaves a trail of kindness behind him, fueling Denise's suspicions about his true identity. When unexpected truths are revealed, Fred and Denise rediscover their sense of purpose and learn how to return a broken life to mint condition.
Bittersweet and remarkably perceptive, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is a hilarious, feel-good, clever novel about grief, forgiveness, redemption, and finding family.
Follow This Author
Sign up & we'll email you when a new title is available for pre-order or hits the bookshelf
Little Stacks of Modern & Literary Fiction
Emotionally Gripping Women’s Fiction about Mothers and Daughters
Whether funny, moving, or thought-provoking, these engrossing women’s fiction novels explore the complex relationship between mothers and daughters.
Angel Down Wins the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Daniel Kraus's WWI novel joins a celebrated lineage. Discover the Pulitzer-winning books readers love most.
Best Pulitzer Prize Winners of All Time According to Readers
How do you pick the greatest books from the list of legendary Pulitzer Prize winners? Well, we’ll give it a go!
Get Free & Discounted eBooks
Curated reads, irresistible prices—subscribe now